IAN-UK

Any moment and we'll be back to that other felonious activity: taking crisps from the lounge.

s0ssos

And the seats do look the same ...

Gig103

Fraud is probably too strong, but when an airline charges for a seat assignment, then it's theft of services to move into that seat IMO. Same or moreso when you have extra legroom seats like on domestic US airlines.

Kgmm77

Takiteasy

traveler202

1Aturnleft

I think BA asset protection would indeed consider this a criminal offence - namely one of theft when obtaining services for which your ticket does not entitle you.
And yes god forbid you sit in another empty seat in a cabin you haven't paid for just because you like the look of that seat more than the one you paid for then I would hope in that scenario, there would be a police officer to escort you from the aircraft upon arrival if you chose to refuse to move when cabin crew asked you to do so.

I know Virgin Atlantic have the ability to charge for on board upgrades (as did BMI when they were still around). The problem at Virgin was/is the floor limit set for on board transactions was much lower than the cost of an on board upgrade. This required multiple credit cards be used which the passenger may not have had on them.

I also remember flying BMI Cairo-London once on a A330 in Premium Economy where 2 Economy passengers took it upon themselves to board late and sit themselves in empty Premium seats. Passengers refused to move and citing all sorts of reasons/excuses (back problems, leg problems) to the SCCM why they couldn't do so.

But we're here now.
​​​​​It's practically empty anyway
Etc etc etc

And the excuses kept coming. The SCCM just walked away to prepare for safety demo and take off. After take off they returned with the POS machine to take payment and the upgraders tried to justify their actions again. It was only when the threat of if they didn't pay having been given ample opportunity to move that police would be called to meet the aircraft on arrival that they begrudgingly coughed up the additional money.

I don't think there is the ability to upgrade on board BA flights. There for any failure to return to your assigned cabin when asked in the event you decide to upgrade yourself should IMO be met by BA staff/ground handling staff for a transaction request upon arrival for the upgrade you've just enjoyed. This should be in the company of police presence. If you still don't want to pay or can't pay then it becomes theft and criminal proceedings start. And that in itself should be a deterrent to others from trying it on.

Waterhorse

Actually, the law is quite clear on this. The passenger does not have to be aggressive, merely disobeying the lawful command of the aircraft commander (as delegated to the cabin crew) is a criminal offence under the ANO. Aggression is irrelevant, it merely makes the offence greater, but the basic offence has already occurred.

Dicksbits

I've seen it 3 times: Once when a young guy decided he didn't like his seat in Bilbao before departure to Heathrow. He moved into the back row of CE. CSM politely told him to move. Second time on a Alicante departure from Gatwick. Two women with a baby..."is it ok if we sit here?" (to crew). "No madam, you're in the business class section" (crew). "What's business class?!" came the retort. Third: Before leaving Alicante for Gatwick two Spanish guys got on late and plonked themselves down in row 3. They were immediately ejected by crew.

kaizenflying

jday

awayIgo

s0ssos

so what happens if the seat you purchased is not available?

IAMORGAN

orbitmic

That would by far be my favourite reaction. I'm certainly not one who wants to see chancers handcuffed and what not, that is not my conception of the world, but there would be something immoral and illogical in encouraging people to try and cheat their way into seats they do not buy by making it a "you have nothing to lose" activity. I go back to my example of people travelling without a ticket, if all that happens if you get caught is that you have to buy the ticket you always should have had in the first place (which by the way is the only thing that can happen in some Scandinavian countries I believe), then people who do not see the point of buying a ticket in the first place will continue being sponsored by those who pay for theirs, which is effectively the cost of this activity to the rest of us.

My sense is that when someone takes the "wrong" seat they should be brought the bill, say the AUP cost. If they are happy to pay for it fine, if not, they can return to their seat. Either way, the crew should take their name down and pass it on to the airline, I would have no issue with them being warned that customers have to sit in their class of travel unless instructed otherwise by the crew, that now they know, and that where someone breaches this repeatedly, the airline might take action including banning them from using the airline.

As always, crew - just like ticket inspectors - would have some discretion to do this or not. If they feel that a person is genuinely mistaken, which happens, they do not have to record the name, but if they feel that the attempt is deliberate or repeated, or that there is evidence of planning this (e.g. their have been known cases of people doctoring their boarding card to get into a seat in a different class), there is really no reason to say "oh well, that's fine really".

Keeping it in the family is fine; in my view, creating an incentive structure which benefits the selfish and entitled over those who try to do the right thing is not.